If I had been able to come in direct contact with Rackett and other men of that kind, to dine with them, and have them to dine with me, to belong to a club, and so on, I shouldn't be what I am at my age.
My one opportunity--when I edited The Balance--wasn't worth much; there was no money behind the paper; we couldn't hold out long enough.

But even then, if I could have assumed my proper social standing, if I could have opened my house freely to the right kind of people--How was it possible ?' Marian could not raise her head.

She recognised the portion of truth in what he said, but it shocked her that he should allow himself to speak thus.

Her silence seemed to remind him how painful it must be to her to hear these accusations of her mother, and with a sudden 'Good-night' he dismissed her.
She went up to her room, and wept over the wretchedness of all their lives.

Her loneliness had seemed harder to bear than ever since that last holiday.